Jillian Baldwin bets on Bridgeport.
In 2020, she arrived in Bridgeport from Colorado with Covid still a menace and the housing authority such a mess it had been branded “troubled” status by the federal Housing and Urban Development for infrastructure and financial challenges impacting 12,000 residents across the city.
Operating under a new title organization, Park City Communities, Jillian Baldwin went to work, management changes, infrastructure improvements, security upgrades, grant awards, partnerships to build hundreds of units of new housing. In time the “troubled” status was lifted and with that reputation enhancement comes opportunities.
The latest a finalist to head the Chicago housing authority. Local officials prevailed upon her to stay and they recently received good news. Baldwin is staying.
From Brian Lockhart, CT Post:
“Betting on Bridgeport,” she said this week at the tail end of an interview. “That is really what I’m doing at a pivotal point in my career.”
Baldwin said following the news of her possible departure, she met with various local stakeholders — particularly city, state and federal elected officials — and received some assurances about strengthening efforts to help Bridgeport’s authority.
“Part of (my) decision was the City of Bridgeport’s and mayor’s commitment to future partnership, to continued strong and improved partnership,” Baldwin explained. More specifically, she said she was seeking better communication and more financial aid as Park City Communities continues an ambitious plan to replace its aged real estate portfolio with new buildings.
“We have a tremendous amount of redevelopment and modernization work that needs to happen,” Baldwin said. “We’ve had conversations with the city about what an investment could look like. … It’s the only real way for us to progressively address the capital (structural) needs that exist.”
Full story here
SHE IS A ROCK STAR AND THANK GOD SHE IS STAYING. HUMMM. MAYBE MAYOR MATERIAL